LAWS OF THE WORLD RELATING TO WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS

This page provides links to general laws of the world relating to women’s human rights. As of present it does not include non-discrimination provisions of labor codes, family codes, criminal codes, and constitutions.

ARGENTINA

Anti-discrimination Act, Act No. 23592 of 23 July 1988, as amended through 2008.

AUSTRALIA

Sex Discrimination Act, 1984, as amended through 2005.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986, as amended through 2005.

AUSTRIA

Federal Equal Treatment Law, as amended through 2002.

BELGIUM

Law of 10 May 2007, as amended through 2008.

This Law has the objective of fighting discrimination based on gender.

BELIZE

Married Persons (Protection) Act, as amended through Act No. 32 of 1999.

Protection against Sexual Harassment Act, as amended through 2000.

BERMUDA

Human Rights Act, 1981, as amended through 1998.

Human Rights Amendment Act 2000

CANADA

Canadian Human Rights Act, as amended through 2009.

CHINA

The Program for the Development of Chinese Women, 7 August 2000.

Law Safeguarding Women’s Rights and Interests, 3 April 1992.

CHINA—HONG KONG

Sex Discrimination Ordinance. As amended through 2008.

COLOMBIA

Law No. 823 of 10 July 2003.

This Law has the objective of establishing an institutional framework and guidance for policies and activities on the part of the Government to guarantee equity and equality of opportunities for women in the public and private spheres.

Law No. 731 of 14 January 2002.

This Law sets forth provisions to promote the quality of life of rural women.

Law No. 581 of 31 May 2000 regulating the adequate and effective participation of women at decision-making levels in various branches and bodies of the public administration, in conformity with Articles 13, 40, and 43 of the National Constitution.

Law No. 82 of 3 November 1993 setting forth rules on special support for women who are heads of families, as amended through 2008.

COSTA RICA

Law No.7142 of 8 March 1990, the Law on the Promotion of the Social Equality of Women, as amended through Law 7319 of 17 November 1992

Law No. 7769 of  24 April 1998, the Law on Care for Mothers in Conditions of Poverty (Law No. 7769, as amended through Law 8414 of 17 December 2001

Decree No. 30419 of 22 January 2002, Regulations to the Law on Care for Mothers in Conditions of Poverty

CROATIA

Gender Equality Act, July 2003.

DENMARK

Act of Gender Equality, 30 May 2000.

DJIBOUTI

Law No. 173/AN/02/4th defining the national policy on the integration of women in development.

Law No. 192/AN/02/4^th instituting a quota system in elective offices and the administration of the State, 13 November 2002.

FIJI

The Women’s Plan of Action 1999-2008.

FINLAND

Act respecting equality between men and women, amended through 2005.

FRANCE

Law No. 98-657 of 29 July 1998 on guidance on the fight against exclusions, as amended through 2009.

Law No. 2002-73 of 17 January 2002 on social modernization.

Among other things, this Law contains provisions on discrimination in housing on the basis of a variety of factors including sex and on sexual and moral harassment.

GERMANY

Law of 30 November 2001 on the implementation of equality between men and women.

GUYANA

Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 (Act No. 26 of 1997), 13 October 1997.

Equal Rights Act (Act No. 19 of 1990), 19 July 1990.

HONDURAS

Decree No. 34-2000 of 28 April 2000.

This Decree approves the Law on Equality of Opportunities for Women

ICELAND

Act on the Legal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men, 9 May 2000.

INDONESIA

Act No. 39 concerning human rights, 23 September 1999.

IRELAND

Equal Status Act (Act No. 8 of 2000), 26 April 2000.

ISRAEL

Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law 5758-1998.

JAPAN

The Basic Law for a Gender-Equal Society (Law No. 78 of 1999), 1999.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF

Gender Discrimination Prevention and Relief Act, 1999.

Framework Act on Women’s Development, Act No. 5136 of 30 December 1995, as amended through 2008.

LITHUANIA

Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Equal Opportunities, 1 December 1998.

MALTA

Equality of Men and Women Act, 2003, as amended through 2009.

MEXICO

Decree of 10 June 2003, as amended through 2007.

This Decree approves the Federal Law on the prevention and elimination of discrimination, including discrimination based on gender.

NAMIBIA

Married Persons Equality Act, 1996 (Act No. 1 of 1996), 20 May 1996.

NETHERLANDS

Act of 1 March 1980 on the equal treatment of men and women.

Equal Treatment Act, 2 March 1994.

Burden of Proof in Sex Discrimination Act 2000, 13 December 2000.

NEW ZEALAND

Human Rights Act 1993, as amended through 2008.

PANAMA

Law No. 16 of 10 April 2002.

This Law regulates right to entry into public establishments and sets forth measures to prevent discrimination, including discrimination based on gender.

Law No. 6 of 4 May 2000.

This Law declares that language, content, and illustrations that contribute to the elimination of all practices that discriminate on the basis of gender, contrary to the equality of men and women must be used in all educational works and texts.

PERU

Law No. 27942 of 26 February 2003.

This Law has the objective of fighting sexual harassment.

Law No. 27558 of 22 November 2001.

This Law is designed to promote the education of female rural children and adolescents in conditions of equality.

Law No. 27270 of 26 January 2000, Law against discriminatory acts.

Law No. 27049 of 28 December 1998 delineating the right of citizens not to be subject to discrimination as consumers and amending various Articles of Legislative Decree No. 716.

Act No. 25155 of 26 December 1989 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in regulations, statutes and other rules of sporting, social, and cultural institutions.

Law No. 27558 of 22 November 2001.

This Law is designed to promote the education of female rural children and adolescents in conditions of equality.

PHILIPPINES

Women in Development and Nation Building Act, 12 February 1992.

Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, 1995.

Act No. 6955 of 13 June 1990.

This Act declares unlawful the practice of matching Filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals on a mail-order basis and other similar practices.

ROMANIA

Decree No. 137/2000 of 31 August 2000 on the prevention and punishment of all forms of discrimination [in Romanian].

Law of 16 January 2002 [amends Decree No. 137/2000].

SINGAPORE

Women's Charter, as amended through 2007.

SLOVENIA

Act of 21 June 2002 on equal opportunities between men and women.

Act implementing the principle of equal treatment, 2004.

SOUTH AFRICA

Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000

Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2002 (Act No. 52 of 2002), 30 December 2002 [amends the above Act].

Commission on Gender Equality Act, 1996 (Act No. 39 of 1996).

SPAIN

Law No. 30/2003 of 13 October 2003 on measures to incorporate the appraisal of the impact of gender in the regulatory provisions formulated by the Government.

SWEDEN

Act No. 443 of 30 May 1991 concerning equal opportunities, as amended through Act No. 773/2000.

SWITZERLAND

Federal Law of 24 March 1995 on the equality of women and men (The Law on Equality), as amended through 2006.

Ordinance of 10 December 2004 on the Specialized Commission established by the Law on Equality.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

The Equal Opportunity Act, 2000 (Act No. 68 of 2000), 20 October 2000.

The Equal Opportunity Act, 2001 (Act No. 5 of 2001), 11 June 2001 [amends the above Act].

UNITED KINGDOM

Human Rights Act 1998 (Chapter 42 of 1998), 9 November 1998.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (Chapter 40 of 1997).

Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as amended through 2001.

Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002, 26 February 2002.

VENEZUELA

Law on Equality of Opportunities for Women, 25 October 1999.

Decree with Rank and Force of Law No. 428 of 25 October 1999 [amends the above Law].

Comprehensive Law on Suffrage and Political Participation, 1997.

ZIMBABWE

Prevention of Discrimination Act (No. 19 of 1998).